MOUNTAINEERING INFORMATION ARTICLES

Aconcagua - Climbing History

Cerro Aconcagua, at 22,834 feet (6,959 meters) has the distinction of being the highest mountain in both the Western and Southern Hemispheres, which also makes it the highest mountain in the world outside of Asia. Its name is native in origin and may come from the Inca word "Ackon Cahuak" which means "Stone Sentinel." This spectacular mountain is located in the heart of the Chilean-Argentine Central Andes, at a latitude of 32 degrees, 40 minutes South.

The Inca Indians started to explore the Andes before Columbus discovered the New World. For religious reasons, they were attracted to the summits of the mountains; many artifacts and burials have been found in remarkable high places. The highest of such places discovered to date is on the summit of Llullailaco, a mountain a few hundred kilometres north of Aconcagua, at 6720m.

A skeleton of a lama was found on the ridge connecting the North and South Summits. Even if it is unlikely that the animal would have climbed there on its own, no other evidence have been found that the Incas are responsible for this. In 1985, a mummy was discovered on one of Aconcagua's outlying peaks at an altitude of 5200 m.

Still, no evidence has been found that the Incas have climbed the Aconcagua hundreds of years before the first recorded summit ascent. Aconcagua was first climbed in 1897, up the Northwest side of the mountain by Swiss mountain guide Matthias Zurbriggen. This route has become the most popular way to climb the mountain, and is known as the "Ruta Normal" or Normal Route. The extreme altitude, severe winds, and cold temperatures make the ascent, or any other route on this mountain, very challenging.

In 1934, a second route was pioneered by a Polish team up the east side of the mountain. The Polish approached the mountain up the Vacas and Relinchos Valleys to Plaza Argentina, and summited via what is known today as the Polish Glacier. In 1950, the attention was drawn to the impressive South Face. This face side is both difficult and dangerous, with steep loose rock between ice cliffs and glaciers, layered like a birthday cake. As the South Face receives little sunshine, it is like the north face of the mountains in the Alps and the Himalayas. In 1954, a French expedition led by Rene Ferlet established a base camp just below the South Face. After a month of preparations, six climbers reached the summit, taking a line up the right side of the face.

Since then, numerous climbers have successfully reached Aconcagua's summit. But despite that, it is still a challenging mountain to climb. So if you want to overcome another Mountaineering challenge while enjoying the view of the Andes, then Aconcagua is the mountain for you.

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